Painting of the week No.14: HMS Vanguard by Leslie A Wilcox

My rule in Painting of the Week is that I must have stood in front of the painting, and been, in one way or another, moved by the image and its story.

This Painting of the Week is somewhat different. I bought a painting recently at an auction in Sussex. It’s of HMS Vanguard by Leslie A Wilcox(1904-1982), size 11 x 16in. The painting is a gouache [pronounced gwash], which is similar to watercolour paint, but with an added thickening agent.

Was it expensive? No. I was the only bidder. Why did I want it? For sentimental reasons. My brother and I boarded the battleship when it was on a courtesy visit to Weymouth Harbour in 1953. As young boys we were on a family holiday in Weymouth, and for an adventure my father took us on board on one of the ship’s visitor days. It’s a reminder of my boyhood with my father and my brother. Happy, happy, carefree days.